Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
College adviser education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a college adviser. College advisers usually study psychology, sociology, or business. 69% of college advisers hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,443 real college adviser resumes to see exactly what college adviser education sections show.
The most common colleges for college advisers are the Michigan State University and the Michigan State University.
There are also many online college adviser courses to help get the education required to be a college adviser.
What education do you need to become a college adviser?
What degree do you need to be a college adviser?
- Bachelor's, 69%
- Master's, 16%
- Associate, 8%
- High School Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a college adviser?
- Psychology, 16%
- Sociology, 11%
- Business, 9%
- Communication, 8%
- Other Majors, 56%
Most common colleges for college advisers
| College adviser common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Michigan State University | 9.58% |
| Texas A&M University | 8.05% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 8.05% |
| University of Phoenix | 7.28% |
| University of California - Davis | 6.13% |
Best majors for college advisers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 16.1% |
| 2 | Sociology | 10.7% |
| 3 | Business | 9.0% |
| 4 | Communication | 7.9% |
| 5 | English | 6.8% |
Best colleges for college advisers
The best colleges for college advisers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University.
A college adviser with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for college advisers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become college advisers.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
6. SUNY at Albany
Albany, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,011
Enrollment
13,434
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
8. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
9. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
10. SUNY College at Oswego
Oswego, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,440
Enrollment
7,039
20 best online courses for college advisers
Advertising disclosure
1. Attaining Higher Education
Prepare to transition to college using intentional decision-making. Aimed at active duty service members and veterans, with this course you will learn about the college admission process, including financial aid, to help you choose a right-fit college...
2. Career Discovery
Actively creating a career journey that is fulfilling and integrates the best use of our personal strengths and skills is crucial to deriving value from the work that we do.\n\nThis specialization covers career planning, leadership and other essential skills and concepts, and what they mean for individuals in their career development. It starts with career planning as a pathway to employment, developed at the University System of Georgia, which comprises Georgia's public colleges and...
3. College Mandarin Chinese on Your Own Beginning Level
Learn One Year's College Chinese Curriculum in Just Two Months and Save Ten Thousand Dollars of Tuition...
4. Career Coaching Certification in Career Development Coaching
Career Coaching Practitioner Course Graduates Ready-To-Work Professionals in Holistic Career Development Career Coaching...
5. Customer Service Fundamentals
There are a growing number of exciting, well-paying jobs in today’s tech industry that do not require a traditional college degree, an one of the hottest areas with high demand is in IT customer service and support. Customer Service is a perfect entry point to start your career in IT, with a multitude of job openings ranging from onsite or remote help desk work to customer care or client support. We can help you get there with the Customer Service Fundamentals course. We will help you to build...
6. CVS Health Call Center Customer Service
The demand for call center customer service representatives is huge, there are thousands of open job roles in the US alone. If you are someone that enjoys talking to people and solving problems and are ready for new experiences, then this program is right for you. Customer service in a call center is an exciting career where every day is a new day and a new adventure. If you're considering a career in retail customer service and you're someone who is passionate about providing exceptional...
7. Public Speaking for College Students: Become a Great Speaker
Public speaking may be the single most important skill for long-term success and you are unlikely to learn it in college...
8. Academic Writing Essentials: University Writing Crash Course
Learn the strategies, tools, and secrets to write successfully at the university level...
9. Strategic Product Development
This course discusses how companies create new products that customers want while achieving their financial objectives. Learners begin by defining the product strategies necessary to ensure a company’s long-term growth. Learners then explore the different product development processes used by high-tech businesses today, such as Stage-Gate and Lean/Agile techniques. Learners conclude by illustrating the tools to build the high-performance teams that take the development process from concept...
10. Canva for college students
In this project the learner will learn how to use Canva for their college journey. Canva is an online graphic design program that allows you to create and design all types of documents, graphic design compositions and more. Canva is a great option for those looking for a user-friendly and easy-to-use platform to create attractive designs for their resumes. Canva has many elements that are free and it gives you a lot of freedom when designing. In addition to this, Canva has paid content that...
11. College Algebra with the Math Sorcerer
College Algebra Course with HUNDREDS of Video Examples:)...
12. Complete Mathematics Masterclass: College & University Level
All the Applied Mathematics Needed in Science, Programming, Engineering, IT & Business - Theory, Examples & Exercises...
13. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)
Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...
14. Boost Your Career Success by Developing Your Soft Skills
Assess your personal development skill gaps with the Success@Work Model. Create your action plan to boost career success...
15. College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, & Trigonometry Explained
Master College Level Algebra with our Step by Step Video Tutorials. Over 4500 Practice Questions! Ace your Algebra Exam!...
16. Job Search Tips & Career Development PLUS ChatGPT Tips
Get the job you want, build your career and learn essential Chat GPT tips for job search success and career growth...
17. The eParachute Introduction to Your Career and Job Search
Discover Your Purpose & Ideal Career w/ the Author of the #1 Career and Job-Hunting Book “What Color is Your Parachute?”...
18. 50 Career & Self Development Tips: Welcome to the New You!
Re-Invent Yourself with these 50 Amazing Personal Development Ideas! Life Altering Personal Improvement Strategies : )...
19. ADHD Study Skills For High School, College, & Grad School
Award-winning Psychotherapist with ADHD shares how to get those top grades & surprise yourself with your greatness!...
20. The Complete AP and College Physics Course
Master the College/AP physics from classical to modern physics, then test your knowledge with 300+ practice exercises!...
Top 10 most affordable universities for college advisers
The most affordable schools for college advisers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for college advisers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for college advisers.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
5. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
6. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
10. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for college advisers
The hardest universities for college advisers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for college advisers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for college advisers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
10. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for college advisers
The easiest schools for college advisers to get into are University of North Texas at Dallas, gwynedd mercy university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a college adviser without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for college advisers.
1. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
2. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
6. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
7. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
8. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
10. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
Average college adviser salary by education level
| College adviser education level | College adviser salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $50,576 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $43,759 |
| Doctorate Degree | $51,488 |
College adviser education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.
Search for college adviser jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025